Friday, November 30, 2012

While I was raised going to church, summer camp propelled my
faith forward in a very personal way. I later met my husband at the same camp,
too, so it holds a special place in our hearts. We spend time there with our
children every summer. It’s quickly becoming one of their favorite places, and
a solid part of their faith foundation.

You’re planning a
writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be
and why?

If this is my dream writing retreat, I’d pick C.S. Lewis,
J.R.R. Tolkien, Susan Cooper, and Madeleine L’Engle. Then I would sit back and
take notes like crazy!

Do you have a
speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

I’m an ordained Presbyterian minister, but I try to stay out
of the pulpit as much as possible. I’ve found I can reach more people at a more
honest place when I funnel my efforts into fiction.

What is the most
embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?

Well, I was very nearly late for this blog interview! Fortunately
Lena Nelson Dooley is an extremely gracious hostess and sent me a timely
reminder. Thank you, Lena!

People are always
telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you,
too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?

Write! Just do it. You can’t edit a blank page. You may have
a dozen books in your head, but no one can read them there.

Tell us about the
featured book.

A Royal Marriageis
my first foray into historical fiction. It’s the opening book of the new
Protecting the Crown series, which is a spin-off of my suspense series,
Reclaiming the Crown. The book’s focus on the Christian kingdom
of Lydia, a fictional place founded by
Lydia,
the leader of a house church who we meet in the Bible in Acts 16:14 & 40. This particular book is
set in the year A.D. 801 and features a real historical person—Gisela, daughter
of Charlemagne. History records her name and the dates of her birth and death,
but tells us little else about her. I’ve filled in the details.

Since I’ve read all
the other books and loved them, I know I’ll love this one, too. Please give us
the first page of the book.

Castlehead, Lydia, A.D. 801

"A ship approaches, Your Majesty. Her sail is spread
with the Carolingian cross." Renwick, chief messenger among the Lydian
guard, bowed low before the king.

"Charlemagne." His Royal Highness, King John of Lydia, lowered
the sword with which he'd been sparring with his younger brother, Prince Luke.
Why would the Holy Roman Emperor send a ship to Lydia unannounced? Charlemagne's
realm had expanded vastly under his leadership, but John had assumed the
renowned ruler would have no interest in the tiny kingdom of Lydia.
Was he wrong?

King John turned to face the messenger. "She approaches
directly?"

"Making for the wharf at high speed, sire,"
Renwick panted as though he, too, had run to reach the king quickly.

"Then we shall make haste, as well." Sheathing his
sword, John headed for the courtyard gate, the fastest route to the
Mediterranean shore.

"To the lookout tower, Your Majesty?" Renwick
appeared confused by the king's choice of direction.

"No, Renwick." John led the way. "To the
wharf."

Prince Luke ran beside him. "Why would Charlemagne
visit Lydia?
We are not his vassals."

"I doubt it is Charlemagne himself," King John
acknowledged. "The emperor regularly sends emissaries throughout his
empire to report back to him." He prayed that was true this time,
irregular though it might seem.

"But Lydia
is not part of his empire." Luke chafed visibly at the idea.

"We are part of Christendom. As such, we ought to ally
ourselves closely with the Holy Roman Empire.
Such a position could prove to be advantageous." John reached the end of
the wharf and shielded his eyes from the sun, examining the quickly approaching
vessel, her sails emblazoned with the distinctive Carolingian cross, four
tri-quetras joined at the center to form the distinctive symbol of Emperor
Charlemagne's reign.

"Three masts!" The sight filled John with awe. Lydia had no
ship to match it. And yet, "She looks to be wounded."

"Aye, brother." Luke clapped one hand on John's
shoulder and pointed with the other. "Her foresail has been rent and
hastily mended. Do you think she has weathered a storm?"

"We don't know how far this ship has come," King
John acknowledged. "Or whether the Saracens may have taken her."

"Taken her?" Fear sparked in his brother's blue
eyes as he looked out to the ship and back at the ramparts of their castle. If
the pirates had taken the ship, they could approach under Charlemagne's cross
and dock before the Lydians realized trouble had reached their shores. The
castle's defenses might be breached before they could even prepare for battle.
"Why would Saracens approach so boldly?"

"For no good reason." John shook his head. He
didn't want to believe that Saracen pirates had taken the emperor's ship, but
given her condition, it was a distinct possibility. "Let us pray for Lydia's
safety."

I’m intrigued. How
can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to meet readers online! Like my author page on
Facebook, or look me up on Goodreads or my webpage, www.rachellemccalla.com

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Welcome, Liz. Tell us how much of
yourself you write into your characters.

I try not to put too much of myself into my characters, but
always the spiritual lessons that I’ve been learning end up being the same
lessons that characters struggle to figure out. In my most recent book, A
Promise to Protect, my heroine has to learn to be weak in order to let
God be strong. Learning that in my own life was an awful challenge for me, but
when I finally caught on to what He was teaching me, I was able to help my
characters come to understand similar things.

What is the quirkiest
thing you have ever done?

When I was 19, I decided that I needed a nose ring. At the
time, I was working at DisneyWorld, and I
wasn’t allowed any visible piercings except my ears. So I had to wait for about
two months, but the day before I left Florida,
I got my nose ring, which I wore for two years. And the day I graduated from
college I took it out. Sometimes I still miss it, but it doesn’t exactly go
with my day job, so I guess we’ve seen the last of my nose ring.

When did you first
discover that you were a writer?

I’m not sure I ever really discovered. I was just sort of
always writing. When I was seven, I was given a school assignment to write two
paragraphs about a bear. I ended up writing several pages. That was probably
the first indication that I was going to be a writer.

Tell us the range of
the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I love reading just about anything. I’m a big fan of L.M.
Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables and
other books. My all time favorite book is The
Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare, a Newberry Award Winner
from 1955. But close behind that are The
Princess Bride and The Guernsey
Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. From dystopian YA to historical
romance to biographies and Christian living books, I’ll pick it up.

How do you keep your
sanity in our run, run, run world?

I’m not sure I’ve done a good job of keeping my sanity, but
I do find that when I feel overwhelmed, stopping for a moment to listen to a
worship song always soothes my nerves.

How do you choose
your characters’ names?

I’m not great at naming my characters, but recently I’ve
discovered BabyNameGenie.com, which randomly offers names, and I love that! I
almost always have it open in my browser to help with naming secondary
characters.

What is the
accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I think I’m most proud of being my nieces’ and nephews’
favorite aunt. It’s taken no small amount of time on the phone with them
reminding them that I’m their favorite. And I’ve spent a lot of time shopping
to spoil them. Okay, seriously, I love being an aunt, and I love spending time
with all five of my nieces and nephews. I’m also honored to get to write and to
have been published in some really successful books, and that’s a blessing I
never expected. Getting letters from readers who have been encouraged by my
books is maybe the best part of being a writer.

If you were an animal,
which one would you be, and why?

I think I’d like to be a horse, strong and graceful. They’re
just so beautiful. But realistically I’m probably closer to a house cat. If I
have the chance, I love a good nap.

What is your favorite
food?

My dad’s hamburgers fresh off the grill with a little
ketchup, cheese, lettuce, and pickles.

What is the problem
with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I’m a terrible procrastinator. But I’m also grateful that I
write better under pressure. Procrastinating makes meeting deadlines hard, but
I’ve found that I can set up a schedule, set smaller goals, and find folks to
keep me accountable to write. These help me make my deadlines and keep me
moving forward with my writing.

Tell us about the
featured book.

Navy
SEAL Matt Waterstone knows about keeping people safe. When his best friend’s
sister is attacked, Matt promises no harm will come to Ashley Sawyer–not on his
watch. But Matt’s not the only protective one. Ashley will do anything to
safeguard the residents of the battered women’s shelter she runs. She’s sure
she can handle the threats she gets in return. What she can’t handle is the way
Matt scales the walls around her heart. Yet when she falls prey to a crime web
more sinister than she’d realized, trusting Matt could be the only way to
survive.

Please give us the
first page of the book.

"When do you go wheels up?" Ashley Sawyer asked as
she walked down the street toward the local grocery store several blocks away.

"I'm impressed," her brother teased, the warm amusement in his
voice coming clearly through the phone line. "You've been paying attention
to the lingo."

"And you're avoiding the question." Tristan had been deploying
with his team of U.S. Navy SEALs since she was sixteen. She knew that when he
didn't answer a question, it was usually because he couldn't. Stepping
onto the curb, she asked, "Well, you and Matt just take care of each
other, okay?"

Silence hung on the line for so long that she checked her phone to make sure
she hadn't dropped the call.

"Tristan?"

"Matt's not going this time."

Her heart squeezed just a bit. She'd counted on Matt Waterstone, her
brother's best friend since their first day in SEAL training, to watch out for
Tristan. Matt had a habit of being in the right place at the right time,
protecting Tristan from at least one bullet during their deployments. And that
was just what he would actually own up to.

She swallowed an unexpected lump in her throat at the thought of harm coming
to the man she'd had a crush on once upon a time. "What happened?"

"Nothing major. He'll heal up just fine with a little time. Hey, maybe
I'll send him your way for a visit—keep him from getting bored here on his
own."

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Welcome, Carrie. What are some of the
spiritual themes you like to write about?

I often write about the power of forgiveness and how it can
bring healing and reconciliation. In Snowflake Sweethearts Annie Romano
learns that forgiveness is not just a one-time event, it’s an on-going process,
and also that forgiveness is a choice of the will and not based on our
feelings.

What other books of
yours are coming out soon?

My next book comes out in October 2013. The working title is
The Governess of Highland Hall. The
publisher is WaterBrook Multnomah. It’s the first of a three-book historical
romance set in 1910 in England. I like to think of it as Downton Abbey meets Jane Eyre
with a little of the Sound of Music
thrown in for good measure. My husband and I visit England last summer to do
some research and enjoy the beautiful countryside. This is a dream project for
me, and I am having a great time writing it.

If you could spend an
evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would
it be and why?

The last time you asked me that question it opened the door
for a visit with Dr. Dobson at his new ministry office in Colorado Springs….remember? Thanks for
that! This time I think I would like to
visit with actress Maggie Smith who plays Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess,
on Downton Abbey. I would love to
learn more about her life and career, plus I would probably have to go to
England for that visit, so that would be a plus too.

I missed Downton Abbey the first two seasons, so
I bought the DVDs. James and I watched them all in about a week’s span. We
loved them. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and
why?

It would be wonderful to be able to go back to the early
1900’s and meet Lady Almina, the fifth Countess of Carnarvon, who lived at HighclereCastle where Downton Abbey is now filmed. She turned her beautiful home into a
hospital for wounded soldiers during WWI. She was also married to a man who
helped discover Kit Tut’s Tomb. Sounds so interesting! Meeting her would be the
perfect “research trip” back in time.

How can you encourage
authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

I’ve heard it takes at least10,000 hours of hard work to
become a skilled writer, so keep pressing on! Most publish authors complete
several books and receive many rejections before they are published. It was
true for me. I would encourage you to join a critique group and learn from
other writers. Read good craft books like Self-Editing
for Fiction Writers by Browne and King and Plot and Structure by James Bell. Attend writers’ conferences and
retreats. Keep reading and writing. Connect with other writers and be willing
to read, review, and promote others’ books. The day will come when those
writing friends may be able to help you. Pray and ask for direction and
discernment about where to focus your time, talent and energy.

Tell us about the
featured book.

SnowflakeSweethearts is a heartwarming, Love
Inspired, holiday romance, so this is the perfect month to enjoy this story.

Here’s a summary: Bringing her daughter to the one place she
feels safe, single mother Annie Romano returns to Fairhaven, Washington. Though
hoping to start a new life as a personal chef, she accepts a different job.
Alex Jameson, the handsome man she secretly admired as a teenager, needs a
live-in caregiver for his ailing grandmother. Alex is very committed to his
corporate marketing job in San Francisco and only plans to stay in Fairhaven
temporarily. He doesn’t seem to realize how much he needs faith, family or
love. But the holiday season, his grandmothers’ matchmaking friends, and one
fatherless little girl start pulling at both Annie’s and Alex’s hearts strings.
Just in time to make it a very special Christmas for everyone.

Sounds like a
wonderful story, and I love Christmas books. Please give us the first page of
the book.

Annie Romano tucked the loose end of her red wool scarf into
the front of her jacket and snuggled down into the soft lining. Puffing out a
breath, she tried to warm her chilly face as she waited at the corner of
Eleventh and Harris in the historic district of Fairhaven, Washington. A brisk
early-November breeze blew up the hill, carrying the fresh, salty scent of
Bellingham Bay.

Clenching her hands in her pockets, she gazed across the
street at Jameson’s Bakery and lifted a silent prayer. Please, God, help me find a job. Not just for my sake, but also for
Emma’s.

With her stomach knotting in a tight ball, she stepped off
the curb and crossed the street. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see Irene
Jameson, or that she was afraid to ask her for a job. The sweet, elderly owner
of Jameson’s Bakery had always treated her kindly. But seven years had passed
since Annie left Fairhaven, and her life had taken some drastic turns since
then.

What would Irene say about Annie’s daughter, Emma?

A powerful mixture of love and guilt rose and battled in her
heart, but love won. She pressed the guilt deeper away to deal with another
time.

I also send out an email newsletter every other month with
book news, reading recommendations, photos, recipes, and encouraging articles.
The signup for the newsletter on the homepage of my website, or they can email
me at carrie@carrieturansky.com,
and I will add them to the list.

Thanks so much, Lena! I appreciate this opportunity to
connect with you and your readers!

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of
“Passion With a Purpose” underscores her intense passion for both God and
romance. American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and
winner of 14 RWA awards, Julie Lessman was voted #1 Romance Author of the year
in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and
2011 Readers Choice Awards, as well as #1 Historical Fiction Author, #3 Author,
#4 Novel, #3 Series, and Booklist’s
2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction. Julie resides in Missouri with her husband,
daughter, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter and is the author of “The
Daughters of Boston” series—A Passion
Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, A Passion Denied andthe“Winds of Change” series—A Hope Undaunted, A Heart Revealed, A Love
Surrendered. You can contact Julie through her website and read excerpts
from each of her books at www.julielessman.com.

How did you come up
with the idea for these stories?

Well, my two newest books—A Love Surrendered and my
Christmas e-book entitled A Light in the Window: A Irish Christmas Love Story—are the
final two novels in the O’Connor family saga, so I suppose I need to explain
where I got the original idea for this family epic since each book springboards
off the prior one.

As most of my readers already know, I started writing the
first book in this saga, A Passion Most
Pure, at the age of twelve after reading Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind. I immediately knew I
wanted an Irish family coping with a war (like GWTW), but didn’t have the audacity to
try another Civil War epic like Margaret, so I settled on WWI instead.

As the 12th child in a dysfunctional family of 13
kids, I also knew I wanted to portray a family the way God intended a family to
be—flawed but steeped in faith. The result is the saga of the O’Connors, a
passionate but imperfect family of six children who love God and each other in
the best way they know how, all interwoven with a secondary love story between
their parents. The first three books in The Daughters of Boston series
highlight the love stories of each of the three oldest daughters, and the
second series, Winds of Change, focuses on the youngest daughter and two sons.
Oh, and the Christmas e-book? Ah … that’s
the prequel I’ve been longing to write and finally did, which details the
tumultuous love story of the saga’s happily married parents, Marcy and Patrick
O’Connor.

If you were planning
a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would
you invite and why?

Ooops, sorry, Lena, I’m primarily a historical romance
reader, but when I do read contemporary fiction, I can tell you right now that
there would need to be ten authors at this party or none at all. My Seeker buds
who write contemporary are a must—Mary Connealy, Debby Giusti, Audra Harders, Ruth
Logan Herne, Myra Johnson, Glynna Kaye, Sandra LeeSmith, Tina Radcliffe, and Missy
Tippens—every one a gifted author with a unique style all her own that captures
me each and every time. And then, without question, my dear friend Patti Lacy
as well, one of the few women’s fiction authors I simply will not miss because
she is flat-out riveting.

Now let’s do that for
a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you
invite and why?

For me, parties are about good friends, so again it would
have to be my Seeker buds who write historical fiction, and those are—Mary
Connealy, Janet Dean, Pam Hillman and Cara Lynn James. And without question, NO
party would be complete without two of my dearest author friends and prayer
partners, Laura Frantz and MaryLu Tyndall—women whose hearts beat to the same
rhythm as mine and whose work I absolutely love!

Many times, people
(and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What
is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?

Ha! At this time in my career?? How ‘bout ALL of my career,
which has been the same age-old problem I’ve struggled with more than anything
else, and that is the annoying focus on sales, contest wins, good reviews and
contracts. BUT … the good news is that after almost five years of being
published, I have finally turned a corner on that nasty problem, thank God,
through a combination of prayer, fasting and a pretty amazing book entitled The Well by Mark Hall, pastor and lead
singer for Casting Crowns. You see, my church has been urging each of its 6,000
members to read this book, and once you do, it’s pretty obvious why. Like Jesus
told the Samaritan woman at the well, He is the only source of “living water,”
and to try and draw our confidence, peace, hope and joy from stagnant holes
such as success, people’s approval or talent will never truly satisfy and will
only make us sick.

For me, getting
published was like hopping aboard the scariest roller-coaster on the planet,
and let me tell you, as much as I LOVE angst, drama and thrills in my books, I
have a fear of heights and HATE roller-coasters! Everything happens so fast—you
go flying to great heights with contest wins, wonderful reviews that bring
tears to your eyes, and connections with reader friends that deepen and enrich
your life. And then in the next pulse-freezing second, you go crashing back
down to earth with 1-star reviews that cut your heart out and a truly awful
obsession with Amazon rankings and book sales. The good news is that God has
used this crazy lifestyle to ground and level me in HIM despite the endless ups
and downs, for which I am eternally grateful.

Tell us about the
featured books.

Gladly!
Although I usually only have one book release a year, I’m very excited to
announce that I have THREE books coming out in a six-month span. A
Love Surrendered—the final book in the O’Connor family saga—released
October 1st. Then my Marcy/Patrick e-book prequel, A
Light in the Window: An Irish
Christmas Love Story, released November 9 and I am SO proud to say that my
artist hubby designed the cover and my daughter modeled for it! Then, April 1st,
book 1 in my new Heart of San Francisco series, Love at Any Cost, releases, so there’s lots of “Passion with a
Purpose”—my tagline—coming, and here are the blurbs for the two books out now:

A
Love Surrendered:

He broke her sister’s heart …

Will she be next?

Orphaned in Iowa, Annie Kennedy moves to Boston to stay with her
spinster aunt, longing for romance to fill the void of her parent’s death. But
when she falls hard for Steven O’Connor, the man who broke an engagement to her
sister, Annie is worried. Will he break her heart, too, when he discovers who
she really is?

A
Light in the Window: An Irish Christmas Love Story:

One woman. Two men.

One stirs her pulse and the other her
faith.

But who will win her heart?

Marceline Murphy is a gentle beauty with a well-founded aversion to rogues.
But when two of Boston's most notorious pursue her, attraction, dreams and
faith only muddle her mind. Can the light in the window illuminate the path of
true love?

They both sound
wonderful. Please give us the first page of each book.

A Love
Surrendered:

1

Boston, Massachusetts, May 1932

So help me, if I get caught tonight, Peggy Pankow’s name is “Mud.” Susannah
GraceKennedy braced herself against
the cool of the salty sea air—and her
guilt—and hurried down the dark street toward Revere Beach, almost regretting
she’d let her new friend talk her into sneaking out of the house. A crescent
moon rose while the waning light of dusk cast purple shadows on the boardwalk
where streetlamps were just beginning to glow. People milled on the seashore,
mere silhouettes backdropped by a fuscia sky glinting across restless waters.
The sound of music drifted in the air along with the scent of the sea, and
suddenly a tingle of excitement trumped any worry she had.

“Hey, Suzi-Q,” Peggy had said after class last week, “my big sis
says we can tag along to Ocean Pier on Friday night.” Her brown eyes had
sparkled with the dare of adventure. “Wanna go?”

Suzi-Q. Susannah
winced, the little-girl nickname her family had coined a painful reminder of
just how much her life had changed in three months. Her smile was patient.
“Peg, it’s Anna now, remember? Not Suzi-Q or Suz or Susannah or Gracie or
anything else that reminds me of a past I’m trying to forget.” She battled the
familiar malaise that always accompanied thoughts of her once happy home. “Besides,”
she said, her voice trailing to a whisper, “I’m not that girl anymore.”

“Okay, okay, but I refuse to call you Anna. Too stuffy.” Peg
pursed her lips. “I should call you Dr Pepper Girl the way you guzzle the stuff
when Aunt Eleanor’s not around, but with that strawberry blonde hair and cute
freckled face, you’re an Annie through and through.”

“Annie” chewed on her thumbnail. “I don’t know, Peg, you don’t
think ‘Annie’ sounds too young or rural?” she asked, anxious to shed her
small-town roots. “After all, I’m a city girl now, looking for a new name and a
new life.”

Annie’s stomach dipped and rolled like the seagulls over RevereBeach,
and she gulped down a sliver of nail. Love
life. Not just sterile words written in her diary this time back in her
hometown of Badger, Iowa, or in one of her many handwritten novels. Nope, this
would be real flesh-and-blood kisses from real flesh-and-blood men. She
swallowed hard. “Uh . . . maybe.”

“No maybes about it, kiddo,” Peggy said with a wink. “A deal is a
deal. You tutored me in algebra? I tutor you in love. What kind of romance
writer will you be without research? Not to mention our bet—you swore you’d get
your first kiss at Revere Beach or I get to keep your favorite sweater,
remember?” Peggy sighed when Annie hesitated. “For criminy sakes, Annie Lou,
you’re a woman who’s never been kissed, and this is your chance. Besides, Ocean
Pier is the perfect place to lose your heart.” She elbowed Annie in the side,
eyes agleam with mischief. “Or your
reputation. What do you say, wanna go?”

A Light in the
Window: An Irish Christmas Love Story:

Chapter One

Boston, Massachusetts, Summer 1895

I
will not throw up … I will not throw up ...

Eighteen-year-old Marceline Murphy
set her overnight case on the O’Rourke’s wraparound porch and pressed a
quivering finger to the brass doorbell, a battalion of butterflies barnstorming
her stomach. The last time she’d been this nervous was at the age of eleven
when she’d frozen on the top limb of a massive pine tree in the backyard of her
best friend Julie O’Rourke. The memory of Julie’s older brother Sam climbing up
to rescue her made her hands sweat even now, his body close behind as he helped
her down, limb by limb. At the bottom he’d tugged on her pigtail with that
dimpled grin that had always fluttered her pulse. “Best keep your feet on the
ground and your nose in a book, Marceline,” he’d whispered in her ear. “You’ll
want to stay far away from danger.”

Danger,
yes. Marcy swallowed hard.

Heights and Sam O’Rourke—two things
that made her dizzy.

She heard the thump-thump of
hurried footsteps on the other side of the door and nervously smoothed her
hair. Carefully puffed and pulled back on the sides in the new Gibson Girl
style with a tortoise-shell comb, the rest of her long blond curls trailed the
back of her powder-blue shirtwaist. Adjusting her wide black belt, she slid a
damp palm down her cream gabardine skirt that loosely hugged her hips before it
spilled into a bell shape at her ankles. Children’s laughter floated on the
summer breeze while a pink sky reflected in shiny parlour windows, casting a
rosy glow on a white wicker swing. Marcy breathed in the fragrance of the
scarlet pillar roses that coiled and tangled on a
trellis at the end of the porch, their scent recalling summers playing jacks
with Julie or discussing favorite book heroes while lazing in the swing.

It had been five years since she’d
seen her best friend, five long years since Papa had whisked them away to New York for his new job
as a vice president for Reading Railroad. But he hadn’t counted on an
agricultural crisis that would result in a worldwide economic depression in
1893, costing him and thousands of others their jobs. Some of Marcy’s
excitement over returning to Boston ebbed as her thoughts strayed to the
financial crisis in which a quarter of the nation’s railroads—including the
company Papa worked for—went bankrupt. In New York alone, unemployment among
industrial workers exceeded twenty percent, which meant Papa had been forced to
return to Boston to look for work. Squaring her shoulders, Marcy shook off the
malaise that always settled when she thought of Papa out of a job, but she had
no doubt that her faith—and that of her parents—would see them through. Even
so, tonight she was back home with her best friend, and she refused to let
anything dampen her excitement of seeing Julie again. Especially Julie’s brother.

How can readers find
you on the Internet?

Of course, I LOVE to hear from reader friends, so they can
feel free to contact me through my website at http://www.julielessman.com,
either by sending an e-mail via my site or by signing up for my newsletter at http://www.julielessman.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/.
My newsletter is chock-full of fun info on my books and there’s always a
contest featuring signed book giveaways including one right now to have a character
named after you or a loved one in my next book.

Also, I have a cool blog feature on my website called
“Journal Jots” at http://www.julielessman.com/journal-jots1/,
which is a very laid-back, Friday journal to my reader friends that would give
your readers an idea as to my relaxed style of writing. Or they check out my
favorite romantic and spiritual scenes from each of my books on the “Excerpts”
tab of my website at http://www.julielessman.com/excerpts/.
Finally, I can be found daily at The
Seekers blog at http://seekerville.blogspot.com/,
a group blog devoted to encouraging and helping aspiring writers on the road to
publication.

Thanks, Lena, for allowing me to connect with your readers,
and I’m looking forward to giving the winning commenter a signed copy of any of
my books, including A Love Surrendered
or an e-book of A Light in the Window: An
Irish Christmas Love Story, so GOOD LUCK!!

Hugs,

Julie

Thank you, Julie, for sharing both of these books with us. It's always such a pleasure to have you here. You need to contact me to book your next book.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of one of the books. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Welcome back to my blog, Therese. How wonderful that you're giving away three copies of this ebook here at Christmas. What are some of the
spiritual themes you like to write about?

I like to write about the spiritual journey I’m on now, so
it comes across “fresh” and not as if I’m trying to preach a lesson.

What other books of
yours are coming out soon?

The third book in the British Missive series, The Bride of
Thistleloch Castle comes out Nov 1

If you could spend an
evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would
it be and why?

I would like to spend an evening with Beth Moore. She writes
amazing bible studies and walks with the Lord so closely I’m jealous.

James and I were in the studio audience when Beth and her husband were interviewed by James Robison. We really enjoyed it. What historical
person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

I would love to meet Corrie Ten Boom. When I was 12, I saw
the movie about her life, The Hiding
Place—set in WWII about how her family hid Jews in their home in Amsterdam, and read the
book by the same name about 12 times. That story of selflessness gave me such a
heart for the Lord.

How can you encourage
authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Try e-publishing. If your work is good, you will do very
well. If your book doesn’t sell, you’ll know that you don’t have the craft of
writing down well enough, and then you’ll know it wasn’t just the editors.

Tell us about the
featured book.

In a world where
position and rank are everything, can two souls stand firm in their desires and
their faith?

In the courts of
King Louis XVIth and Marie Antoinette, a storm is brewing that will overthrow a
monarchy. Caught up in the maelstrom is a young peasant girl, who becomes a
pawn in a hopeless attempt to quell the peasant rebellion. But the cost to her
is greater than she could ever imagine.

Aimee Fremont
is forced to leave her family to live as a Princess
Claire, the adopted daughter of France
to appease the growing unrest among the peasants. Unfortunately pretending to
be raised as a royal requires that she accept a betrothal to an English duke.
Now living in the Queen’s House (BuckinghamPalace) and dreading the
day of her marriage, she clashes with the duke’s secretary, the one man who
could reveal her true identity. But when his life is at stake, can she learn to
wait the Lord to give her the desires of her heart.

Please give us the
first page of the book.

I can do this…

Aimee Fremont scurried into
place, wishing a pox on her unforgiving corset. Two footmen opened the high
double doors, leading into King Louis and Queen Marie’s Grand Appartement du Roi
at the palace of Versailles.
She ceased tugging on the flounce at her waist, attempted to take in a breath,
and hiccupped.

Not now. Pressing her lips together, she
willed them to absorb the sound. She braced herself for another performance as Princess
Claire, the adopted daughter of France,
as she had come to be known.

She moved into
the gilded chamber, the courtiers whispers echoing around her. Their attentions
bore down on her like the light from the corpulent chandeliers adorning the painted
ceiling. She swallowed back another hiccup with a small jolt to her shoulders.

Richly colored Persian carpets gave
way to hand-polished wood floors as she stepped past window-sized portraits of
frightful-looking deceased members of the French royal family. With each movement
she took, her silk dress, the color of a fading sun, rustled and the heavy
jewels clutching her neck bobbed. Not paste this time, but real gems.

Her pin-pricked fingers hidden
beneath silky white gloves itched to secure the diamond and jade tiara that gripped
her elaborate coiffure. This was by far the grandest she’d ever been displayed.
It did not bode well.

A hiccup burst
from her lips. Despite the burning of her cheeks, she kept her gaze fixed
straight ahead, as her shoes tapped on the parquet floor. A dozen or so courtiers
receded in her procession. Typically, the sovereigns only called for her when
they needed their former peasant girl, dressed up like a stuffed pig, albeit
minus the apple, to appease the masses, thus showing their subjects evidence of
their great benevolence.

But this regal
gathering was considered a private audience, which could only mean she’d done
something wrong. But why had her guardians commanded that she be out-fitted in
such a grand fashion to be chastised? She forced another hiccup to die in her
throat.

No matter the
reason, these royal summons never failed to bring a plunging wave of dread. Her
neck aching, she tugged on the rope of jade balls that hung like heavy fetters,
and suddenly with a snap, the string broke. With a gasp, Aimee watched as the
asparagus-colored balls fell to the floor and scattered in all directions,
resembling frightened mice. A few attendants tittered behind their hands.

Aimee snuck a
glance at Queen Marie. Even a fair distance away, the queen’s lips looked thin
and white. I can do this… Aimee
gulped in air, forcing her terrified thoughts to slow down. At least the
hiccups had stopped. She had to act as a princess.

Majestic.
Poised. Regal.

I can hardly wait to
read this one. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Thank you, Therese, for sharing this ebook with us. I know how much research you do to make your stories authentic.Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.Forever and a Day (British Missives Series)

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Sunday, November 25, 2012

I use the phrase “twisting through time, chasing the joy” to
describe my books. More and more, I am drawn to the historical “understory” of
any event or character’s story. In some way or another, the past has brought us
all to the point where we are now, and it intrigues me to unpack that theme.

Besides when you came
to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

I remember when my son was just a few days old and I was
with my mom, who had seven children, and we marveled over him together. I
asked, “Does it feel like this every time?” “Every single time,” she answered.
To my great joy, I got to feel that twice. No matter how children come into a
family, parenthood changes you.

How has being
published changed your life?

I have certainly seen what the interior of a writer’s life looks like!
Rounds of editing. Being available for opportunities such as this Q&A.Building networks to help spread the
word about my books—it’s still true that most people choose a book because
someone they know recommended it. I find the greatest challenge is not so much
about having time to do everything—and still write—but about being a good
juggler. That means creating a rhythm of life that can respond to each project
as needed, catching it when it comes down and infusing fresh energy for
whatever is the next upward stage of its life.

What are you reading
right now?

Just finished: House
of Mercy by Erin Healy

Almost finished: We
Sinners by Hanna Pylvainen

Half-finished: Death
Comes to Pemberly by P.D. James (audiobook)

What is your current
work in progress?

I am working on Taken
for English, the third in my Valley
of Choice series. These
books have thematically intertwined stories from two centuries. I write the
historical story first, and I’m just about finished with that.

What would be your
dream vacation?

Somewhere with a beach and a hammock where I can sway with
the rhythm of the ocean. And I get there in an airplane.

How do you choose
your settings for each book?

Since I’m releasing two series, I have two basic settings
right now. The Avenue of Dreams series, including The Pursuit of Lucy Banning and The
Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow so far, are set in an historic neighborhood of Chicago. The Valley of
choice series, which began with the release of Accidentally Amish, is also inspired by events that happened in a
particular place. I have so many stories in my head! I read a snippet about a
place that sounds interesting, or perhaps I pass through a place on a trip to
somewhere else, and I begin to see the setting’s potential.

If you could spend an
evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

I live far away from my mother, who will soon be 87, and I
don’t see her too often. I would love to spend more evenings with her because I
treasure her presence. To me she is a remarkable person, and I love hearing
stories of when she was young.

What are your
hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love some of the classic sit-coms, so I enjoy kicking back
with a cast of characters whose personalities and quirks have become familiar
and endearing. Sometimes a dose of Rob and Laura Petrie is just what I need.
And I can easily make a hobby out of meeting friends for lunch or a meal and
drenching each other in laughter and encouragement.

What is your most
difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

People often say, “If I had more time, I’d write a book.”
And I always think to myself, “You have the same 24 hours a day that I have.”
Most writers have day jobs and families and all sorts of obligations. Writing
comes at a price, and it’s a difficult lesson to learn to pay it. I make
intentional choices and then focus on what I’ve chosen, rather than what I am
missing because of my choice.

What advice would you
give to a beginning author?

With any ambition, it’s essential to set the right kind of
goal. Make sure that your goals are specific and realistic, and recognize that
you will make adjustments along the way as you learn more about your interests
and the publishing industry. And don’t compare your goal to someone else’s.
Everybody’s life is different.

Tell us about the
featured book.

A serendipitous event spurred me to
pull a family genealogy book off the shelf, and I read more closely than I ever
had. One of my family lines traces to Jakob Beyeler, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1737 on a
ship carrying Amish families. The twist that fascinates me is that Jakob had
ten children. The first five children remained Amish, while the second set were
raised as part of the general culture. What choices must Jakob have made? What
sacrifices? From there I went into the contemporary setting and came at the
same theme from a different angle. What values drive the choices we make, and
what happens when cultures clash?

Please give us the
first page of the book.

His
kiss was firm and lingering as he cradled her head in one broad palm. “Annie,”
he murmured as he took in a breath. His hand moved to brush her cheek. He
kissed her again.

Annie’s stomach churned while
her lips went on automatic pilot. Kissing Rick Stebbins was nothing new and,
frankly, less exciting every time. But in the moment, it seemed the safest
choice among miserable alternatives.

She pictured where her blue
Prius was stashed in the parking lot behind the modest glazed-brick office
building. A small red duffel lay on the passenger seat and a compact suitcase
on the floor. The denim bag she had carried since high school, on the desk she
was leaning against, held her laptop in its padded case. Car keys hung from a
belt loop on her jeans. Her cell phone was in a back pocket.

Annie Friesen was ready.

Rick would never admit to what
she suspected. More than suspected. She was no lawyer, but she knew it would
take more evidence to make an accusation stick.

And Rick was a lawyer. Her
lawyer. Her intellectual property lawyer. If only he had not slipped that
extraneous document between the pages of the last contract awaiting her
signature in triplicate. Whatever she thought she felt for him dissolved with
that test of her attention to detail. He was the one who failed. She would sign
nothing more from Rick Stebbins.

This sounds like an interesting premise. I can't wait until my copy arrives. How can readers find
you on the Internet?

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Pol (GA) is the winner of Betrayal by Robin Lee Hatcher.Veronica (NM) is the winner of Dark AlleysbyLillian Duncan.Doris Smith (IN)is the winner of Her Holiday Fireman by Kathleen Y'Barbo.Lourdes (NY)is the winner of Hummingbird by David Stearman.Joye (AZ) is the winner of Shadowed Dreams by Tina Pinson. Amada (NM) is the winner of Camellia by Diane T Ashley and Aaron McCarver.

If you won a book and you like it, consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites.

Also, tell your friends about the book ... and this blog. Thank you.

Congratulations, everyone. If you won a print book, send me your mailing address:Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.If you won the ebook, just let me know what email address it should be sent to.When you contact me, please give the title of the book you won, so I won't have to look it up.

Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.If you didn't win and you plan to order the book, please use the link provided on the individual interview. By using that link when you order, you will help support this blog.

Friday, November 23, 2012

We become the people we are by the experiences we have and
the people we meet, and I freely allow those things to show up in my writing. I
can’t imagine not doing so. Of course those bits of myself are rearranged and
intermixed with the various characters in new ways.

What is the quirkiest
thing you have ever done?

I am an ordinary sort of person, not given to quirkiness.
Oh, wait there was that time I… Oops! I can’t tell you about that.

When did you first
discover that you were a writer?

I remember being very frustrated as a four-year-old that I
couldn’t make my scribbling
become words no matter how hard I tried. I first discovered I had a knack for
writing stories in 8th grade. I wrote a scary story about being
unjustly confined to a mental hospital. My teacher’s encouraging words on the
top of my story sparked my dream to become an
author.

Tell us the range of
the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

In elementary school I became A Voracious
Reader, beginning with Nancy Drew mysteries and then moving on to those
by Agatha Christie and Victoria Holt. I did eventually branch out. I love
everything from classics like The Odyssey
and Dicken’s Great Expectations to
modern popular fiction by Dean Koontz, whose writing I admire for his great
characterization.

How do you keep your
sanity in our run, run, run world?

I used to be a Wonder Woman, able to multi-task and leap
tall buildings. But I couldn’t sustain that. I’ve simplified my life, learning
to say no to many of the demands I
and others have put on me. I pray. I take walks. I breathe deeply. And I read a
good book. Of course.

How do you choose
your characters’ names?

Sometimes a name will just pop into my head during the early
writing stages and feel just right. In Unclaimed
Legacy I gave the bad guy the name of an awful person who once hurt me. I
have to admit it was quite satisfying. For other names I thumb through my book
of baby names or my local telephone directory.

What is the
accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I find great satisfaction in becoming an author
after so many years of waiting to get a book contract. I never gave up on my
dream (completely) although I have to admit that my confidence took a beating.
I wrote Time and Again in 1994 and it
was finally published in January of this year!

If you were an
animal, which one would you be, and why?

I would be a chocolate lab. They’re beautiful, friendly,
trainable, trustworthy, and calm. Everyone loves them. They’re the most popular
dog in the U.S.

What is your favorite
food?

Chocolate, but that’s so obvious, so I’m going to say pecan
pie. I don’t know why we have to wait for Thanksgiving to have it.

What is the problem
with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I wrote Time and Again
while under the influence. Fortunately, I got sober before beginning Unclaimed
Legacy. Just kidding. What I mean is that having just graduated from
college where I studied literature, I tried to emulate the spare style of literary
greats like Hemingway and Camus. But then I realized I didn’t even like that
style, no matter how revered it is in some circles, so I stopped trying to write
LITERATURE (pronounced with a snooty accent). I found it a lot more enjoyable
to allow my characters to show their thoughts and feelings.

Tell us about the
featured book.

Unclaimed Legacy is the second book in my young adult trilogy.
(Each may be read alone, but you may wish to read Time and Again first.) I plan to have the third one ready for
publication by spring.

“I call it time-surfing,”
Abby said.“It’s like being there,

except no one can see or hear us.”

“Whatever
you call it,” John said, “that was crazy—what we just did.

Beyond realistic. I mean, I was in that guy’s
head

and
knew everything he was thinking.”

Abby’s weird computer program is working again. And it comes
in handy when they agree to help the Old Dears next door with their family
tree. Except Abby and John learn more about one of the ladies’ ancestors than
they ever wanted to know. Convicted in 1871 of murder and arson, Reuben
Buchanan is a blight on the family’s reputation. But was he really guilty? Abby
and John must get inside the mind of a murderer to find out. But while they’re
rummaging around in the Old Dears’ family history, they discover the truth of
God’s promise to bless a thousand generations … and a legacy waiting to be
reclaimed.

Please give us the
first page of the book.

Abby managed
to get her mascara on without smudging it. It was not an easy task, knowing
that if she glanced at the other reflection in the mirror she’d see Merri’s
sorrowful eyes staring back at her. At least she wouldn’t have to spend any
time on her hair. Whatever she did, it dried in a mass of brown curls.

She smoothed
on a bit of lipgloss and then, trying not to feel guilty, smiled encouragingly
at the pudgy eleven-year-old beside her. “Come on, Merri, it’s just a lunch date.
I’ll be home before you know it. And while I’m gone you’ll get to spend some
time with your mom.”

Merri sat on
the edge of the tub and morosely petted Kit Kat, her chocolate-colored cat.
“But this is just the beginning. I’ll never see you again now that you’re going
out with John.”

Abby was glad
Merri wanted her around. It was a big improvement from her first two weeks at
the old house in Miles Station. Thankfully, the troubled girl had finally begun
to accept her help and her friendship.

“Yeah, that
one. But as for John… well, so far so good. He’s already earned a star in that
department.”

“A star?”

Abby blushed.
“Well…see, whenever I meet a guy I’m interested in going out with, I imagine a
chart for him labeled Possible Marriage
Material. Then I give him imaginary stars for things I like about him.”

“Like being
tall and handsome?”

“He is that.
But, I’m looking for character qualities.” Abby gathered the last of her things
and zipped her toiletry case. “Like I always say, beauty is more than skin
deep.”

Readers, Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.